NGOs today sent a memorandum to the Attorney General's Chambers urging that the criminal trespass charge against Suaram intern Tan Hong Kai be dropped.

gmi indonesian embassy memo isa detainees 180108 e nalini Suaram executive director E Nalini ( right ) said that the memorandum, endorsed by more than 50 civil society groups, urged that the charge be dropped as Tan was at the Universiti Sains Malaysia campus upon invitation by USM students.

"We are concerned that this is intimidation against activists and infringes on freedom of expression.

"We are urging that the attorney-general be neutral in viewing the merits of the case, and not to press charges simply because it is related to Bersih," she said when contacted.

The memorandum was received by a public relations officer, Nasurdin Mahmud, and was handed over by 15 people, including Bersih co-chairperson A Samad Said and representatives from Suaram's Penang branch and student groups Dema and Kami.

Tan was charged with criminal trespass on May 5. He was the first to be arrested over Bersih 3.0 rally-related activities.

This was after USM lodged a police report against him for putting up posters promoting Bersih's April 28 rally for clean and fair elections.